How to Make Bacon | Healthy, No Nitrite Recipe - The Home Intent (2024)

You CAN have smoky, salty bacon goodness without nitrites! Learn how to make bacon that's actually healthy and just as delicious.

How many people cure and smoke their own bacon? Not many at all. When you do, you'll be so proud!

Using this dry cure bacon recipe will be healthier for your body and your bank account. It's nitrate/nitrite free and costs a little more than half of the cost of storebought bacon.

Not to mention, it's just plain impressive. It may seem intimidating the first time you do it, but it's very easy, it just takes a little bit of time.

Dry curing has been the best way we've found to cure the bacon, but you can also use a wet curing method.That involves creating a liquid brine to submerge the pork belly in and requires a lot more fridge space.

This way yields the best bacon and is really quite simple. Let's get into it!

Why you'll love this recipe

Healthier:Most storebought and homemade bacon recipes include some form of nitrites (Prague powder #1 or pink curing salt- not the same as Himalayan pink salt) which have been shown to increase the risk of cancer."When nitrites and amino acids (from protein) are present, carcinogenic compounds called nitrosamines can form during cooking with high heat."Homemade bacon without sodium nitrite is just as good, so why include them?

Easy to make:There are a lot of complex bacon recipes out there, and we found our method is simple, yet effective. I don't like a lot of extra steps that don't make a noticeable difference!

Delicious:Homemade bacon tastes so good! Especially since every time you eat it, you have the satisfaction of knowing that you cured your own bacon. Not that many people do that!

Cost-effective:Bacon from the store costs an arm and leg, and it costs your health too, to some degree. In my area, cured bacon costs double what pork belly costs, per pound!

Ingredients

Pork belly: Marbled fat and meat, from the belly of a pig, this cut is delectable when cured and smoked. For the healthiest option, purchase pork belly that came from a grass-fed pig. It's the cheapest per pound to buy a whole pig, instead of just certain parts, so I would recommend it if you can afford that larger one-time cost.

Coarse sea salt:Coarse sea salt is our salt of choice since we can get it bulk for a good price from a bulk foods store. You can use any granule size of sea salt, just make sure it isn't iodized, since that may cause an unpleasant taste in your bacon.

Sugar:It is optional to use sugar, but we find it does make a difference in the flavor. We use coconut sugar or maple sugar for the most natural option. If you're very intent on avoiding sugar, just leave it out.

FAQ

Tips for making bacon

• Choose a slab of pork belly with a good balance of fat and meat.
• Make at least 4 pounds at once. If your smoker will be running anyway, you may as well fill up the grill with bacon!
• Do a taste test after the 7-8 days in the fridge by cutting a small piece off, frying it and tasting it. If it's too salty, soak the slab in cold water for 1 hour and then re-check by frying another piece.

Serving ideas

There are endless ways to enjoy homemade bacon, but here are a few ideas:

• Classic Bacon Strips: Fry or bake the bacon until crispy and enjoy it as strips alongside eggs,pancakes, or in a sandwich.
• Bacon-Wrapped Dishes: Wrap bacon around foods like asparagus, chicken breasts, scallops, or dates stuffed with cheese, then bake or grill for a delicious twist.
• Bacon and Eggs: Pair crispy bacon with scrambled, fried, or poached eggs for a classic breakfast combo.
• Bacon Salad Toppings: Crumble crispy bacon over salads for added flavor and crunch. It pairs well with spinach, arugula, or mixed greens.
• Bacon Carbonara: Incorporate bacon into a creamy carbonara sauce with pasta for a rich and indulgent meal.
• Bacon in Soups and Stews: Add diced bacon to soups, chowders, or stews for a savory depth of flavor.
• Bacon-Wrapped Dates: Stuff dates with cheese, wrap them in bacon, and bake until crispy for a delicious appetizer or snack.
• Roasted Brussels Sprouts: Roast Brussels sprouts with bacon until both are crispy for a delicious side dish.
• Bacon Breakfast Burritos: Filltortillaswith scrambled eggs, cheese, potatoes, and crispy bacon for a hearty breakfast option.
• Bacon Toppings: Sprinkle crumbled bacon over pizzas, baked potatoes, or loaded nachos for added flavor.
• Bacon-Wrapped Scallops: Wrap bacon around scallops and secure with toothpicks, then grill or broil until the bacon is crispy and the scallops are cooked through.
• Bacon-Topped Meatloaf: Step aside ketchup, bacon is a better meatloaf topping!

Ziploc plastic bags

Electric smoker

Wood chips and oven-safe wire rack (for smoking in oven)

Meat thermometer (a high quality one which reads accurately will yield the best results)

How to make bacon

Ingredients:

• 2 lb pork belly
• 2 tablespoon coarse sea salt or kosher salt
• 1 tablespoon coconut or brown sugar or maple syrup (optional- we always use it)
• 1 teaspoon black pepper (optional)

To brine:

If your pork belly still has the skin on it, you'll need to cut it off. Use a fillet knife if you have one and leave as much of the fat on the belly as possible!

Mix salt and sugar together. If you are doing more than 2 pounds at a time (we usually do), use the same amount of tablespoons of salt as you have pounds of pork belly and half the amount of tablespoons of sugar. If you have pork belly pieces that aren't 2 pounds, use 1.5 tablespoon of the salt/sugar mixture per pound pork belly (or just 1 tablespoon salt if you are skipping the sugar).

In a deep dish, such as a cake pan, rub the dry rub mixture all over the top, bottom and sides of the pork belly, making sure to get into all the nooks and crannies.

See Also

Easy Drop Biscuit Recipe with Olive Oil - One Sweet Appetite

Place the pork belly into a ziploc plastic bag, along with any salt or sugar that fell off in the pan.

Put the bag(s) on a plate or in another pan in the fridge. Leave in the fridge for 7-8 days, turning the bag over every 2 days.There will be some naturally occurring liquid brine that forms.

After 7-8 days, remove the pork belly from the bag and rinse well under cold running water. Pat dry with paper towels.

(Optional) Do a taste test by cutting a small piece off, frying it and tasting it. If it's too salty, soak the slab in cold water for 1 hour and then re-check by frying another piece.

(Optional) Place pork belly on a wire rack, uncovered, in the fridge for 1-8 hours. The drier the pork, the better the smoke will "stick" to the bacon. We honestly never do this, and our bacon is plenty smoky, so it's up to you!

To smoke in a smoker:

Preheat the pellet smoker to 180°F.

TRAEGER PELLET GRILL INSTRUCTIONS: Ensure your Traeger hopper is full of pellets. Turn the smoker on and set it to SMOKE for 5 minutes. You should hear the fan running. After 5 minutes, set to 180°F and preheat for 5 minutes before placing pork belly in.

If using pepper, sprinkle it over the cured pork belly and rub it in at this time,.

Place pork belly on the grill grates in the smoker and close the lid. Smoke until bacon reaches an internal temperature of 150°F, about 2-3 hours (smoke time will depend on the thickness of the bacon).

If you prefer a more subtle smoke flavor, you can smoke the belly for 1 hour, remove it from the smoker and place it on a baking sheet in the oven @ 180°F for 1-2 more hours, until the internal temperature of the pork belly reaches 150°F.

To smoke in the oven:

Preheat oven to 180°F.

Soak wood chips in water for 4 hours. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil, then spread your soaked wood chips on. Place the wire rack on top of the wood chips and then bacon on the rack. Cover with tented foil.

Place the baking sheet in the oven for 2-3 hours, until the internal temperature of the pork belly reaches 150°F.

This method won't create as much of a smoky flavor, but it will provide some.

How to cook homemade bacon

Slice bacon with a meat slicer or sharp knife (thick cut bacon is so fun!) and cook over medium heat in a cast iron skillet or frying pan until crispy, a few minutes per side.

How to store bacon

Allow bacon to cool completely. Cut into desired portions (lengthwise). You can cut chunks or cut all the slices before freezing, wrap each piece in plastic wrap then butcher paper or wrap in plastic wrap and place in a freezer bag.

Store in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 1 week, or in the freezer for up to 1 year.

Did you try this recipe? If so, I would really appreciate a 5-star rating and your comments below! Thanks!

More food preservation

• Venison and Pork Italian Sausage
• How to Dry Plums
• Garlic Venison and Pork Sausage
• How to Dry Carrots
• How to Render Fat

More breakfast recipes

• Baked Oatmeal
• Coconut Oil Granola
• Healthy Banana Bread
• Creamy Millet Porridge
• Low Sugar Peach Jam

📖 Recipe

How to Make Bacon

Yield: 2 lbs

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 3 hours

Additional Time: 7 days

Total Time: 7 days 3 hours 10 minutes

You CAN have smoky, salty bacon goodness without nitrites! Learn how to make bacon that's actually healthy and just as delicious.

Ingredients

• 2 lb pork belly
• 2 tablespoon coarse sea salt or kosher salt
• 1 tablespoon coconut or brown sugar or maple syrup (optional- we always use it)
• 1 teaspoon black pepper (optional)

Instructions

To brine:

1. If your pork belly still has the skin on it, you'll need to cut it off. Use a fillet knife if you have one and leave as much of the fat on the belly as possible!
2. Mix salt and sugar together. If you are doing more than 2 pounds at a time (we usually do), use the same amount of tablespoons of salt as you have pounds of pork belly and half the amount of tablespoons of sugar. If you have pork belly pieces that aren't 2 pounds, use 1.5 tablespoon of the salt/sugar mixture per pound pork belly (or just 1 tablespoon salt if you are skipping the sugar).
3. In a deep dish, such as a cake pan, rub the dry rub mixture all over the top, bottom and sides of the pork belly, making sure to get into all the nooks and crannies.
4. Place the pork belly into a ziploc plastic bag, along with any salt or sugar that fell off in the pan.
5. Put the bag(s) on a plate or in another pan in the fridge. Leave in the fridge for 7-8 days, turning the bag over every 2 days.
6. After 7-8 days, remove the pork belly from the bag and rinse well under cold running water. Pat dry with paper towels.
7. (Optional) Do a taste test by cutting a small piece off, frying it and tasting it. If it's too salty, soak the slab in cold water for 1 hour and then re-check by frying another piece.
8. (Optional) Place pork belly on a wire rack, uncovered, in the fridge for 1-8 hours. The drier the pork, the better the smoke will "stick" to the bacon. We honestly never do this, and our bacon is plenty smoky, so it's up to you!

To smoke in a smoker:

1. Preheat the pellet smoker to 180°F.
2. TRAEGER PELLET GRILL INSTRUCTIONS: Ensure your Traeger hopper is full of pellets. Turn the smoker on and set it to SMOKE for 5 minutes. You should hear the fan running. After 5 minutes, set to 180°F and preheat for 5 minutes before placing pork belly in.
3. If using pepper, sprinkle it over the cured pork belly and rub it in at this time,.
4. Place pork belly on the grill grates in the smoker and close the lid. Smoke until bacon reaches an internal temperature of 150°F, about 2-3 hours (smoke time will depend on the thickness of the bacon).
5. If you prefer a more subtle smoke flavor, you can smoke the belly for 1 hour, remove it from the smoker and place it on a baking sheet in the oven @ 180°F for 1-2 more hours, until the internal temperature of the pork belly reaches 150°F.

To smoke in the oven:

1. Preheat oven to 180°F.
2. Soak wood chips in water for 4 hours. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil, then spread your soaked wood chips on. Place the wire rack on top of the wood chips and then bacon on the rack. Cover with tented foil.
3. Place the baking sheet in the oven for 2-3 hours, until the internal temperature of the pork belly reaches 150°F.
4. This method won't create as much of a smoky flavor, but it will provide some.

Notes

How to cook

Slice bacon with a meat slicer or sharp knife and cook over medium heat in a cast iron skillet or frying pan until crispy, a few minutes per side.

How to store

Allow bacon to cool completely. Cut into desired portions (lengthwise). You can cut chunks or cut all the slices before freezing, wrap each piece in plastic wrap then butcher paper or wrap in plastic wrap and place in a freezer bag.

Store in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 1 week, or in the freezer for up to 1 year.

Nutrition Information:

Yield: 50Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving:Calories: 55Total Fat: 4gSaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 2gCholesterol: 15mgSodium: 303mgCarbohydrates: 0gFiber: 0gSugar: 0gProtein: 4g

This nutrient calculation is done by an automated calculator and may not be accurate.

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